


Dearest

by orphan_account



Series: Merlin One-Shots/Character Studies [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur would've been the sweetest momma's boy, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 16:58:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8541304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: All I did was watch "Sins of the Father." It hurts.





	

“Oh, my dear, please don’t cry.” 

Arthur let out a surprised huff at the feel of soft fingers--his mother’s fingers--caressing his wet cheek. The touch was so easy, so warm, and so blindly affectionate. A painfully maternal touch--one Arthur never thought he’d know. 

“A mother’s heart never aches so painfully as when she knows her child is in pain.”

Arthur didn’t think he’d ever heard a sweeter voice in his life. He was winded by the love saturating every word, every doting stroke of her finger against his temple and his cheeks. 

“Sorry, mother…” He opened his eyes to look at her. 

She was every bit as stunning as he had always imagined. “If you say sorry one more time, my dear son, I shall have to ruin the moment by hitting you upside your pretty gold head.” 

Arthur gave a breathless laugh. 

My dear son. It echoed adoringly in Arthur’s ears.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Not one thing, dearest.” 

\---

Leon stood in mute shock. 

“My mother- is dead because of him!”

“Killing your father won’t bring her back.” Merlin was quick. Leon stood lamely by. “You’ve lost one parent. Do you really want to lose another?”

“Listen to him, Arthur.” Leon was further surprised at the King’s plead; by his Prince’s volatile reaction to it, versus his halting at Merlin’s soft, “Arthur, please. Put the sword down.” 

“You heard- what my mother said. After everything he has done, do you believe he deserves to live?!” Never in Leon’s long acquaintance with his Prince had he heard Arthur so desperate; every word ground between his teeth and snarled in his father’s face. “He executes those who use magic, and yet he has used it himself! You...have caused so much suffering and pain. I will put an end to that.” 

Leon blinked as another figure swept past him--Gaius. He stood as stoic and tense as Leon, watching the three before them; Uther, Arthur, and Merlin. 

Merlin sounded equally as desperate as he leaned toward Arthur. “Morgause is lying….She’s an enchantress. She tricked you. That was not your mother that you saw, that was an illusion.”

They watched Arthur’s raised sword twitch. 

“Everything--everything your mother said to you--those were Morgause’s words.” Merlin pled. 

“You don’t know that!” 

He couldn’t believe Merlin stood his ground as he did. Leon could barely keep up--barely knew what to do himself. “This has been her plan all along; to turn you against your father. And if you kill him, the kingdom will be destroyed--this is what she wants.”

“Listen to him, he’s speaking the truth.” 

“Swear to me that it isn’t true--that you were not responsible for my mother’s death--GIVE ME YOUR WORD!” 

Arthur’s anger rang throughout the hall, heavy and tense.

“I swear on my life. I loved your mother. There isn’t a day passes that I don’t wish she was still alive. I could never have done anything to hurt her.”

Arthur collapsed. 

It was as saddening as it was alarming. 

Leon could scarcely tell what had just come to pass, but he knew it wouldn’t have passed at all without Merlin. 

Seemed, lately, that a great deal was owed to Merlin.


End file.
